Colombian President Gustavo Petro is in a hurry. No wonder, nowadays, it seems that democratically elected leaders in the region have had a very short truce and a very rapid attrition, in general due to the post-pandemic economic situation, the high polarization and the crisis of the democratic representation system. Hoping to avoid a political defeat like that of Gabriel Boric with the plebiscite in Chile with less than six months in office, Petro accelerates his agenda of changes.
First, there was the announcement of the “total peace” project, the idea of ​​negotiating agreements with guerrillas and criminal organizations, without first establishing more clearly the difference in terms for agreements with groups that have a political agenda, such as the Army of National Liberation, and drug trafficking factions whose agenda is only that of crime and profit. Last Monday (26), the right organized a demonstration, the result of which was timid, but which could grow if the plan does not offer quick results in the sense of reducing violence.
In a speech that can be considered historic at the United Nations General Assembly, Petro called for an end to the “war on drugs” policy, which is still encouraged by the US, and which has already caused thousands of deaths of Colombians and Mexicans, mainly, and of other Latin Americans in general. However, for this to become a truly transformative State policy, Petro needs to solve much simpler equations. For example, what will be the real replacement of the destructive policy of eradicating coca with glyphosate that has been sickening and killing thousands of peasants in recent years, and establishing a concrete dialogue with Colombian society on the need to legalize drugs. Those who took to the streets of Bogotá to protest demonstrate that communication still needs to improve a lot in order to build a consensus on Petro’s proposals regarding drug trafficking, “social forgiveness” and the emptying of jails, intentions that he reinforced in Nova York.
In the case of Venezuela, with which the country partially reopened the border also last Monday, the issue is even more sensitive. Anyone who knows the border region knows that, first of all, the border has never really been closed in recent years. Through the same “trochas” (clandestine trails) used by smuggling and drug trafficking, children who live on one side of the border and study on the other, elderly people who seek a better hospital and even the report of the Sheet, which crossed back and forth without even asking questions about documentation. The “trochas” are not only dangerous because of the mafias that operate there, but because their paths are winding, bumpy, in many cases you walk with water up to your knees.
It is clear that the normalization of the lack of control of this traffic is negative, crossing clandestinely brings enormous risks, but reopening ignoring all the business and the mafias that have come to control the illegal trails is useless. Undocumented citizens will continue to cross there, paying the illegal taxes levied by those who control the routes, encouraging the corruption of soldiers destined to watch the pass but who are powerless to contain irregularities, and at risk of kidnapping and death.
More than 75 “trochas” were opened during the period of “closing” the borders. It is simply not possible to think of re-establishing the normality of legal paths without fighting the social, criminal and security problems that were born and installed with the alternative paths.
Petro sold the reopening as a policy where both sides would immediately win. If the local population of what is the liveliest of South America’s borders clearly benefit, on the other hand, the partial reopening poses problems as it is not accompanied by a policy of diplomatic and political rapprochement. Petro hesitates on these questions, because he knows how much he will be criticized for normalizing or relativizing the Chavista dictatorship.
The Colombian president offers Maduro an idea of ​​an end to isolation, but has been criticized for not alluding to human rights abuses, only recently reconfirmed by the UN, that occur on the Venezuelan side. What Petro wants most from Venezuela is its help in establishing dialogue with the ELN. Without Maduro, Colombia has no chance of achieving this goal, as the ELN is rooted in Venezuela and supported by the protection provided by the dictatorship. But Venezuela charges dearly, for example, it wants the repatriation of political opponents such as Julio Borges and journalists critical of the regime. It also asks Petro for help in lifting sanctions against the regime.
“Petro cannot normalize Maduro without asking for counterparts in terms of human rights, if he wants help with the ELN. Petro needs to encourage Chavismo to give Venezuelans the chance to choose a president just as the Colombians chose him. Venezuela in this reopening,” opposition leader Leopoldo López said in an interview with Semana magazine.
Despite the circus set up on Monday in Cúcuta, with flags of the two countries distributed on both sides, trucks covered in their colors, and the party led by Petro, the rush to prepare the show came face to face with harsh reality. Some of the bridges, because they have not been used for so long, need to be repaired, some of them will only be able to operate with a minimum flow of vehicles to avoid collapsing. The famous Tienditas bridge, through which humanitarian aid was intended to be transported in the operation designed by Juan Guaidó and the US in 2019, could not be inaugurated because it has never been used and is full of irregularities.
With regard to air traffic, three of the five companies that were allowed to fly between the two countries had primary problems such as fitting their flights into the existing traffic, which caused delays and cancellations, or were unable to prepare the aircraft for the path. The company Conviasa, which Petro had allowed to fly between Bogotá and Caracas, could not make its debut because it is sanctioned by the US and cannot even leave Venezuelan territory.
Someone needs to warn President Petro that haste is the enemy of perfection. And that these mistakes and missteps only feed their critics on both sides of the border.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
